The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
SALE RETURNS
Hospice of the Western holds warehouse sale, profits go to supporting seriously ill patients and families
“... Families will benefit from immediate access to knowledgeable hospice experts and timely visits during one of the most stressful times in their lives.”
— Hospice of the Western Reserve President and CEO Bill Finn
With novel coronavirus protocols in place, the Hospice of the Western Reserve kicked off its two-day warehouse sale Feb. 20.
The non-profit typically holds four warehouse sales throughout the year. Funds raised from the sales go toward supporting seriously ill patients and their families, veterans in need of specialized care, grief and trauma counseling in schools, and other community-based programs. A warehouse sale that was scheduled for December 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the Feb. 20-21 warehouse sale, temperatures are taken at the door. Anyone with a 99.5 F or above temperature is not permitted to shop. The agency is also limiting the number of people allowed in at one time and the crowd size is monitored throughout the weekend.
Shopping areas are marked with one way paths that must be followed. Masks and social distancing of six feet are also required at all times.
Items offered at the warehouse sale include furniture, rugs, plates, Christmas decorations, purses and jewelry among other things.
The Hospice of the Western Reserve kicked off its two-day warehouse sale Feb. 20.
Funds raised from the sales go toward supporting seriously ill patients and their families, veterans in need of specialized care, grief and trauma counseling in schools, and other community-based programs.
The event continues Feb. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. at the hospice’s 17876 St. Clair Ave. headquarters in Cleveland.
The Hospice of the Western Reserve is a 501(c) (3) non-profit that provides “palliative and endof-life care, caregiver support, and bereavement services throughout Northern Ohio,” according to its website.
Care Solutions Center The Hospice of the Western Reserve also recently announced plans to launch a $3.25 million technologically advanced Care Solutions Center, which the non-profit stated will “dramatically expand access to hospice and palliative care within the nonprofit agency’s 10-county Northern Ohio service area.”
The center is being funded through a $2 million grant from James and Angela Hambrick Foundation, along with grants from Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation and The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation.
Construction and buildout have begun, according to a Hospice of the Wester Reserve news release. The Care Solutions Center is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2022.
According to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, the demand for hospice care in Northeast Ohio has increased dramatically over the past 15 years. At the same time however, the daily reimbursement rate for hospice care is decreasing. The non-profit stated the new technology will “play an essential role in allowing HWR to expand access to all of the services it offers, including hospice care, the Western Reserve Navigator palliative care program, pediatric hospice and palliative care and community-wide bereavement support.”
“With the significant growth we have experienced, the advanced technology built into this system will allow us to function at maximum efficiency and innovate how we respond to inquiries and deploy caregivers,” Hospice of the Western Reserve President and CEO Bill Finn said in a statement. “Families will benefit from immediate access to knowledgeable hospice experts and timely visits during one of the most stressful times in their lives. It will truly become the heartbeat of the agency.”
The agency stated in the news release the new center will eliminate administrative tasks and improve response time.
“Agents will have everything at their fingertips to handle questions and care requests,” the news release stated. “Increased connectivity will mean HWR providers can coordinate, dispatch clinicians and problem-solve faster than ever. Physicians and community referral sources will be able to offer their patients faster enrollments.”
The agency stated the system will automatically perform patient check-in calls and alert staff when follow up needed. Pre-programmed surveys will be collected and compile realtime feedback on caller satisfaction. Ongoing reporting and data analysis will identify areas for future improvement.